THE LOOSE END, 8min,. USA
Directed by Nathan Setiabudi
After falling witness to a violent murder, a man fears the killer returning to tie loose ends.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The idea for the film itself came from an irrational fear of mine. Moving from Singapore to Los Angeles for college, two cities that could not be more different than one another in terms of crime, I felt a drastic shift in terms of personal safety and being cautious. I've never considered myself an extreme paranoid type, but I noticed my mind wandering to dark, irrational places whenever I'd be out at night. Why is this sketchy-looking guy staring at me? Is he trying to rob me? Or what if I turn a corner and witness something I wasn't supposed to? I noticed that these irrational thoughts have the power to lead you to dark places inside your head, and that is what inspired me to write this script. In The Loose End, the protagonist, if you will, witnesses a violent murder that immediately instills paranoia into his personal life, eating away at his sanity. Quickly, we see that his paranoia puts him into an overanalyzing spiral that does more harm to him than the thing he's scared of in the first place.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The way it works in our school is that we would develop a script in a screenwriting for shorts class for a semester, and the following semester we would bring it to life in a production class. So overall, from inception to the final cut, it took us around 9 months in total with only 3 shooting days. However, most of that time was spent developing and revising the script through various iterations, making sure that we can fit and properly pace a relatively large story into an 8-page script.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Paranoia Kills.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Like in any production, there are multiple difficult obstacles spanning from the writing process to post-production. For one, it was difficult fitting in so many locations, shots, and elaborate setups within only three 12-hour days of shooting. I spent hours with my DP (Kieran Armstrong) and 1st AD (Anna Mendonca) refining the shot list and shooting schedule to make sure that we had time to capture everything, while still accounting time for setup changes, location moves, and other variables. Even on set, our 1st AD Anna had to constantly communicate between the different departments to ensure that we were on track in terms of time and got all the shots we needed--a job that she did awesome at for her first time. Though it wasn't easy, with the effort of everyone on set, we were able to get everything we needed (and more!) to assemble this film in the editing room.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Honestly, I was blown away by all the positive feedback that everyone gave. This was my first short film that I created with a relatively larger cast & crew (15+), and I'm so glad to have received such kind words from fellow film enthusiasts. More than anything, I appreciated how almost everyone caught on and talked about the themes of paranoia and how it can lead someone to make irrational decisions out of fear. This was the core of my short and I'm glad that people were able to resonate with it. And of course, I'm stoked that most of you found the twist at the end to be unexpected and satisfying. :)

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Growing up, my dad was an avid photography hobbyist and introduced me to cameras at an early age. Combined with a big interest in YouTube and creating comedy/action shorts for fun with my childhood friends, this became the foundation of my passion in filmmaking. In middle and high school, my school offered filmmaking courses in which I truly bolstered my passion in creating short films, travel videos, and everything else in between. In a sense, I've always wanted to be a filmmaker and create films/videos, as that's what I truly enjoy doing in life. More than anything, I love seeing people's reactions to my work and bringing the ideas that were once in my head to life through collaboration. At 21 years of age now, studying film production in Loyola Marymount University, I still find myself on the same path that I set out on years ago. However, the industry is growing larger and larger and the 'filmmaker' occupation can mean so many things nowadays. It can mean working in entertainment (Hollywood/Indie), being a freelance filmmaker, or even a digital creator marketing products through video on social media. With one more year left in college, I'm still discovering what it is I truly want to do. However, writing and creating short films has always been a passion of mine that I can see myself doing even if I choose a different route in the filmmaking scene.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I'm not huge on rewatching the same movies over and over again, but my favorite film has always been The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan. More than just a badass, somewhat 'realistic' superhero film with so many well-acted, exciting sequences throughout, I love how the film alludes to deeper themes of justice and religion. Modern-day superhero films just seem so surface-level and lazy compared to this masterpiece, and it's a film I can watch repeatedly and continuously learn more about it every single time.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I believe that the most important part of any film festival experience is the opportunity to network with other filmmakers and collaborators that can create mutually-beneficial opportunities. Implementing these types of events will transform an already passionate group of film enthusiasts to a community that boosts each other in this competitive industry.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

I found my experience using FilmFreeway to be pretty smooth and easygoing. This was my first time using the site, and it was really quick to understand how the site worked and search for relevant film festivals that I would like to apply to. Even the application & payment process was extremely straightforward and not as intimidating as I'd initially imagined.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Sushi!

11. What is next for you? A new film?

These coming months, I will be developing and writing the script for my senior film which will be in production during the spring. At the same time, just focusing on the remaining 2 semesters of college and just working on whatever projects I can get my hands on!